Friday, September 6, 2024
Local artist Reagan Deming has officially come full circle, harnessing the artistic talents she uncovered in her own elementary school to inspire a new generation of students — at that very same institution, nonetheless.
A Granbury native and former student of Acton Elementary School, Deming was recently asked by AES Principal Maggie Walton to create a mural inside the school to celebrate learning and encourage young minds.
"She posted (the question about looking for an artist) on Facebook, and I guess a whole bunch of people commented and said that I should do it," Deming said. "Whenever I got her number, I reached out, and she said that I was the number one, most suggested person, so that was it.”
The mural, which took Deming only five days to complete, features bright colors and inspiring messages aimed at young learners. One section outlines the phrase, “Where your story begins,” and features various symbols relating to school subjects, while the other depicts the words, “Smile, you’re at Acton Elementary School,” in colorful, bold letters.
“It's really just encouragement for the kids there,” Deming said. “Whenever the kids walk in, it just brightens up the room. That first one says, ‘Where your story begins,’ and then the whole wall is full of different school-related things that they may end up getting interested in, so there's math things and science things and art, and all of that on the wall itself; that's meant to be a really great place for them to take pictures in front of on their first day of kindergarten. The one in the auditorium area, that one says ‘Smile,’ and they talked about having all their school pictures taken in front of it.”
Deming noted the artwork has transformed the gray and drab space to a bright, colorful and cheerful environment for the students.
"It brings some happiness into this school," she added.
This experience also evokes heartwarming memories from Deming, as she was given the opportunity to give back to a school that nurtured her artistic abilities at such a young age.
“I remember really finding out that I was good at art in, I think it was third grade, while I went to Acton Elementary School,” she said. “(I have) memories of second and third grade there, so it was cool just remembering the music programs in the auditorium. I remember all the little, tiny memories of being in third grade and trading pogs in that space. That was really cool to be able to put something that's semi-permanent in a space that is history for me."
With a degree in music composition and a flourishing career as both a scenic designer and painter at the Granbury Opera House, Reagan’s artistic journey has evolved over the years.
Although she initially worked in title insurance, her passion for art blossomed after opening a local painting studio, Painting with a Twist, in 2018. After a challenging period during the pandemic, her mural work began to take off, and she quickly became a beloved figure in the community.
In addition to her artwork at AES, Deming has painted murals for various local businesses, including the Hood County Library and Lake View Inn — bringing her signature style to the community.
“I've also got one, it was the Square Cafe, but it's now a shoe store," she said. “The bar scene with all the people in it? That was a fun one. My whole family is actually painted into that one because I needed people in the mural, so I was like, ‘I need to take a picture of you in this pose,’ so I sent that to all my brothers, my dad, and my sister-in-laws, too. I said, ‘OK, you need to look like this,’ so you can see my brothers and their wives in those paintings, too.”
As she reflected on her journey, Deming emphasized the joy of helping others visualize their dreams through art.
"One of the things I also really love to do is help people who can't necessarily do the creative thing, but they have a vision for something,” she said. “I want to help that come to life and help people be creative without them having to go through the stress of actually doing the painting.”
With word getting around the community about Deming’s latest AES mural, she has started to receive more interest from the public regarding future artistic commissions.
“I have gotten a lot more attention for this mural than any of the other ones,” she said. “I think it's the time of year and just how bright and happy it is, but it spurred off some more mural opportunities for me, which is great.”
While she can’t guarantee the mural’s permanence at AES, Deming said she hopes it will remain visible for many years to come.
"I didn't put my name on it anywhere, so I'm not like, asking the kids to remember me or anything, but who knows how long they'll be up there?” she said. “I can't say that it's going to be there forever, but the kids in a decade probably will still be able to see it, so hopefully it stays for a while.”
Through her art, Deming not only enriches her community but also fosters a lasting connection between past and future generations of students — all the while adding a splash of color to their lives.
